Electrically-operated float-governed liquid control



Patented May 3, 1921.

I. A. DU LANEY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY II I9I9.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FLOAT GOVERNED LIQUID CONTROL.

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JAHES ALLEN DU LANEY, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOB CHARLES R.NELSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

EIECTBICALLY-OPERATED FLOAT-GOVERNED LIQUID CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application led May 1, 1919. Serial No. 294,128.

To all 'u1/wm 'it may concern.' A

Be it known that I, JAMES ALLEN DU LANEY, a citizen of the United Statesand residing in Seattle, in the county of ling and State of Washington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrically-Operated F loat-Governed Liquid Controls, of which thefollowing is a clear and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for controlling thelevel of a liquid in a receptacle and more particularly to improvementsin float governed, electrically operated devices for controlling thelevel of water in a boiler.

The object of my improvement is to provide a device of simple and cheapconstruction that will operate in a reliable and efficient manner toopen and close valves that control the inlet of Water to a boiler.

A further object is to provide a device of this nature which includes aboiler and a steam tight reservoir or supply tank that are connectedwith each other both at their top and bottom ends by valve controlledconduits so that when the valves are opened the steam pressure will beequalized in the boiler and in the supply tank thereby permitting waterto flow by gravity from the supply tank to the boiler.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation andcombination of parts as will be more clearly hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a paratusconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a view inelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewillustrating the lloat controlled contact making devices and Fi 4 is aWiring diagram on a small scale.

ike reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 5 designates a boiler which may beprovided with a suitable water inlet opening that is normally closedrbya plug 6 and which may be further provided with a steam outlet pipe 7that may lead to any desired source to which steam is to be delivered.

The top end of the boiler 5 is connected by a pipe 8 with a valve 10which, in turn, is connected by a pipe 11 with the top end of a Waterstorage tank 12 that may be supported from the boiler 5 by brackets 13or pet cock 18 may that may lbe supported in any other convenient mannerat a slightly higher elevation than boiler 5.

A suitable water inlet opening arranged to be closed by a plug 9 may beprovided in the top of the storage tank 12.

If esired a pressure gage 14 may be connected with the pipe 11 or withthe top of the boiler 5 for recording the steam pressure therein. Y

The bottom end of the boiler 5 is connected by a pipe 15 with a valve 16and the valve 16 is connected by a pipe 17 with the bottom end of thestorage tank 12. If desired a be ,interposed in the pipe 17 so that theboiler 5 and storage tank 12 may be drained.

The boiler 5 is connected by a suitable gage fitting 20 located near thebottom thereof and by another suitable gage fitting 21 located near thetopn thereof with a glass water gage 22 wherein the Water may rise tothe same level as the water in the boiler 5.

The valve 10 on the top of the boiler 5 is arranged to be opened andclosed by the oscillation of a crank arm 23 that is connected by a linky24 with one arm 25 of a bell crank which is pivoted as at 26 to abracket 27 and has its other arm 28 slotted as at 29 and connected by apin 30 with the top end of the plunger 31 of an electromagnet 32 which,if desired, may be secured to the top of the gage glass fitting 21.

The valve 16 at the bottom of the boiler y5 is arranged to be opened andclosed by the oscillation of a crank arm 33 that is connected by a link34 with one arm of a bell crank 35 which is pivoted as at 36 to abracket 37 andwhose other arm is slotted as at 38 and is connected by apin 39 with the plunger 40 of an electromagnet 41 that may, if desired,be secured to the lower gagev glass fitting 20.

Disposed within the gage glass 22 is a centrally arranged, tubular,guide member 42` upon which is a slidably mounted float 43 that isarranged to be moved upwardly and downwardly by the rise and fall ofwater within the gage glass 22 and movable vertically within the guidemember 42 is a bar 44 that is provided adjacent its upper and lower endsrespectively with transverse pins 45 and 46 that project outwardlythrough vertically arranged slots 47 and 48 in the sides of the tubularguide member 42 and or ONE-34.1.2. 'ro

are adapted to be engaged by the float 43 for the purpose of moving thebar 44.

The to end of the bar 44 is secured to a switch b ade 50 that isarranged to make contact between three switch terminals 51, 52 and 53when the bar 44 is raised by the float 43 to the limit of its upwardmovement as shown in Fig. 2 and that is arranged to make contactbetweenthree other swltch terminals 54, 55 and 56 when the fioat 43 enga withand rests upon the lower pin 46 o the rod 44.

The lower end of the bar 44 is ada ted to engage with and rest upon aspring 5 when the switch blade 50 is in the neutral positlon shown inFig. 3, the `bar 44 being arranged to be lifted oif of the s ring 57 bythe upward movement of the oat 43 as the water rises in the gage glassthereby causing the blade 50 to engage the contacts 51, 52 and 53, andsuch bar being of suiiicieht weight to break the contact between theblade 50 and contacts 51, 52 and 53, when the float 43 is loweredthereby permitting the bar to` return to the neutral position.

When the water in the gage is lowered and the float 43 rests upon thelower pin 46 the weight of such fioat will be suicient to com ress thespring 57 and move the blade 50 dldwnwardl into contact with theterminals 54, 55 an 56. When the ioat is lifted off of the pin 46 thespring 57 will again lift the bar 44 into the neutralposition shown inFig. 3.'

The electromagnets 32 and 41 may 'be connected with the terminals 51 to56 inclusive in the manner shown in Fig. 4. so that both of suchelectromagnets will be energized when either the upper or lower limitswitch is closed.-

In operation the circuits to the electromagnets 32 and 41 will normallyboth be spin and the valves 10 and 16 will be closed.

en the water'in the boiler 5 is lowered so that the water in the gage 22permits the float 43 to engage with and rest upon the pin 46 thecontacts 54, 55 and 56 will be ridged thereby closing the circuit toboth electromagnets 32 and 41 and causing a movement of the plungersofsuch magnets that will open the valves 10 and 16. When the valves 10 and16 are opened steam pressure in the top ends of the boiler 5 and storagetank 12 will be ualized and ,water will be permitted to flow y gravitythrough the pipe 17 from the storage tank 12 into the iler 5. As soon asthe water begins to rise in the gage 22 the float will be lifted off ofthe pin 46 and the spring 57 will lift the bar 44 and break the circuitsto theelectromagnets but the valves will remain open until the float'reaches the upper limit of its movement, engages the upper pin 45 andlifts the bar 44 m that the'contacts 51, 52

ALamina magnets to be moved in the proper directions to close the valves10 and 11.

- .Obviously the plins 45 and`46 may be located close toge er or farapart to give either a small or a great variation between the maximumand the minimum water levels in the boiler 5.

If desired a single solenoid may be used for actuating both of thevalves 10 and 16.

It will be understood that changes in the form of construction andarrangement of the various parts of this device may be resorted towithin the scope of the claim.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a boiler,- means foradmitting water to said boiler, valves controlling the supply of waterto said boiler, electrical devices for opening and closing said valves,a water gage communicatin with the upper and lower portions of saidboiler to register the level of the water therein a bar movable axiallywithin said water gage, means for limiting the movement of said bar, afloat movable-within said water gage independently of said bar, means onsaid bar for engagmg with said float near the upper and lower limits ofthe movement of said float whereby said ioat may move said bar andswitch mechanism disposed within said -water gage and arranged to beoperated by movement of said bar to control the iow of electricalcurrent to said electrical valve operating devices.

2. A device of the class described comprising a boiler, a water supplytank located above said boiler, conduits connecting. the upper and lowerportions of said boiler with the upper andlower portions of said watersupply tank respectively, valves in said conduits, a liquid gagecommunicating with the upper and lower portions of said boiler, a ioatmovable within said li uid gage, a tubular guide member for sald ioat,said guide member being arranged axially of said gage and having slotsextending longitudinall7 thereof, a bar slidable within said gui emember and projecting from the upper end thereof, pins on said bar, saidpins proecting outwardly through the slots in sai guide member wherebythey may be engaged by said oat, electrical devices for opening andclosing said valves and switch JAMES ALLEN DU LANEY.

